Encased transaxle brake

Abstract

A transaxle drive unit including transmission gearing and drive wheel shafts interconnected by differential gearing all located within a casing. The novelty constituting brake apparatus directly mounted on a wheel drive shaft and located within the casing and installed simultaneously with the associated drive shafts.

I claim: 
     
       1. A transaxle drive unit having an encased brake comprising, in combination, a housing having, at least, first and second casings defining a transmission gear receiving chamber and bolted together at a flat assembly surface defining a plane, an axle wheel supporting drive shaft rotatably mounted in said housing having an axis of rotation, bearing means rotatably supporting said drive shaft within said housing wherein said shaft axis substantially lies within said assembly surface plane, a brake assembly mounted on said drive shaft fully encased within said housing, said brake assembly having an axis substantially coincident with said drive shaft axis and substantially lying within said assembly surface plane, and a brake assembly actuator mounted on said housing operatively connected to said brake assembly. 
     
     
       2. In a transaxle drive unit as in claim 1, a brake assembly receiving cavity defined in said first casing 14 in communication with said first casing assembly surface, said brake assembly 44 being received within said cavity. 
     
     
       3. In a transaxle drive unit as in claim 1, a brake assembly 44 including a rotating member 46 mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith and a stationary member fixed against rotation relative to said first casing, said members being selectively positioned between engageable and disengaged positions with respect to each other, said brake assembly actuator selectively positioning said members. 
     
     
       4. In a transaxle drive unit as in claim 3, said stationary member including a stop engaging an abutment defined on said first casing upon assembly of said drive shaft and brake assembly with said first casing. 
     
     
       5. In a transaxle drive unit as in claim 4, said rotary member comprising a plurality of discs keyed to said drive shaft for rotation therewith and axially spaced thereon, said rotary members being axially movable upon said drive shaft, said stationary member comprising a plurality of shoes alternately located between adjacent discs and capable of axial displacement with respect to said drive shaft, said discs and shoes defining a stack of brake members, said brake assembly actuator selectively axially compressing and releasing said stack to frictionally engage and release adjacent discs and shoes. 
     
     
       6. In a transaxle drive unit as in claim 5, said actuator including a cam operated pin transversely related to said drive shaft axis. 
     
     
       7. In a transaxle drive unit as in claim 5, a threaded compression stop and wear compensator engaging said stack of brake members in opposed relation to said brake assembly actuator. 
     
     
       8. A transaxle drive unit having an encased brake comprising, in combination, a housing having, at least, first and second casings defining a transmission gear receiving chamber and bolted together at a flat assembly surface defining a plane, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said housing having an axis of rotation, bearing means rotatably supporting said drive shaft within said housing wherein said shaft axis substantially lies within said assembly surface plane, a brake receiving cavity defined in each casing in communication with the associated assembly surface, said cavities of said first and second casing aligning upon assembly of said casings to define a brake assemble receiving chamber, an abutment ledge defined in each of said cavities, a brake assembly mounted on said drive shaft received within said brake assembly receiving chamber, said brake assembly including an axially extending stack of alternately arranged discs and shoes, said discs being keyed to said drive shaft for rotation therewith and capable of axial movement on said shaft, said shoes including radially extending stops engaging said abutment ledge preventing rotation of said shoes and capable of limited axial movement relative to said shaft, and a brake assembly actuator mounted on said housing operatively connected to said brake assembly for selectively axially compressing said stack to engage said discs and shoes to brake rotation of said drive shaft. 
     
     
       9. In a transaxle drive unit as in claim 8, said actuator including a cam operated pin transversely related to said drive shaft axis. 
     
     
       10. In a transaxle drive unit as in claim 8, a threaded compression stop and wear compensator engaging said stack of brake members in opposed relation to said brake assembly actuator.